Welcome back to our sex worker interview series 'A Tryst With...' We're joined by Brooklyn Escort Vyper, to chat about Grindr, the BIPOC sex work community, and the costume of sex work.
Can you tell us your “origin story” as a sex worker?
My degree is in early childhood education, so as the pandemic hit I was really struggling to work. I have also been a drag performer since 2019, and started to meet and work with other sex workers and knew it was something I wanted to do. At the time I was with my abusive ex who was entirely against me exploring that, so after I left them and needed funds to move out, I started sex work. I had already started my transition, I had been on testosterone for a couple years already so I was struggling with being myself and being successful at the beginning. I started online and then delved into full service.
What looks different now than it did at the beginning of your journey?
I have more experience now and I know my worth. I’m able to stand firm in my rates and my boundaries. I’m now a full time performer and gig worker, so sex work has become important in paying my bills.
Sex workers often experience different kinds of discrimination, is there anything in particular you wish people knew the full impact of?
I wish people knew the full impact of playing in the costume of being a sex worker. I work a lot of stripping pop up events (cause I can’t get a job at the club with my current gender presentation or body type) and the amount of divas with well paying jobs who just wanna play around on the pole and cosplay a sex worker for the night is so frustrating. Like y’all are messing with people’s money who rely on these things for rent.
What has sex work taught about beauty standards?
Sex work has just confirmed a lot of the mainstream beauty standards I was aware of growing up. I’m brown, fat and visibly trans. I’ve seen how it’s easier for those who are whiter than me, skinnier than me, can pass better than me. But I’ve also seen how clients will drool over and worship my body as is. Sex work has encouraged me to continue to say ‘fuck you’ to beauty standards, ‘cause I am a fucking goddess as I am.
What’s one myth about sex work or sex workers that you’d like to bust?
That it’s all women or femme of center ppl. Most of the sex workers I know are trans masc.
You’re a trans worker. How does your trans identity intersect with your sex work?
It’s really hard being an out trans sex worker. I’m a non-binary, trans masc, two spirit person who presents as a dirty punk boy by day. The switch to the femme fatale with long blonde hair while working can sometimes give me whiplash. I usually advertise myself as an ftm femboy, and the best of both worlds! Mostly it’s me fetishizing the parts of myself I think clients would best react to. Most of my clients are confused and still see me as a trans woman, even if I’m crystal clear. As an out trans sex worker, it’s also hard to find clients, although the interest is there. It’s more stigmatized to be interested in trans people than cis girls, so they often aren’t as open about it.
I get most of my clients from Grindr, and keep getting banned for violating guidelines. It’s so hard to be myself fully and also be safe while doing this. Sometimes I debate just shaving my entire body and going to the gym to try to pass as a cis girl and get a job in a club, or make a new tryst as a cis-girl, but I don’t want to change myself for any job. I get clients now both as my masc self and my femme self, and most of them do love how I can be both. I keep trying to remind myself that it’s important to exist as I am. I know I’m a fantasy and that fantasy includes my transness.
Has your gender expression changed since you started sex work? Has your work impacted your relationship with your gender and or your presentation?
Actually not very much. I’ve always been a very genderfuck of a person. Big tits, packer, tiny bikinis, filled in mustache, and huge pleasers has been my look for a long time. But my relationship with my presentation has been impacted. Sometimes I find myself wishing I could just pass as a cis girl so I could hustle the way I want to. Which is frustrating cause I mostly get she/her’d in public anyways. I’m at the point with bottom growth I would only be able to pass as a cis up until a certain point and that’s a scary situation to be in.
It’s very easy to fall back into the binary re: presentations, especially when sex work is generally run on binaries, how do you recenter/ground yourself in or post work?
Dressing in clothes that are comfortable and affirming on my days off. Reminding myself that existing in ways that challenge binaries is hard, but very fulfilling. Being around other non-binary BIPOC helps too!
Can you share a little about your experience of being a trans, BIPOC, and a sex worker? What's it like for you at those intersections?
Sometimes it’s really scary existing at these intersections. But it also makes me feel really connected to our BIPOC trans SWer ancestors, like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson. They loudly fought for our right to exist, especially as BIPOC trans sex workers, and to dim myself would be a disservice to those who paved the way. Though as a BIPOC sex worker specifically, I feel like I have to market myself racially as a fetish, which yt sex workers will never understand.
The racism in sex work is horrific. The things we have to subject ourselves to on top of hoping johns will even be open to seeing someone your race? They want me to be this caricature of the Latina sex worker. I draw the line at the maid costume lol. I know a yt sex worker who sees a John who is vocally racist and refuses to see POC service providers. So they will send like $100 to BIPOC to mitigate the guilt of taking a session like this. I wish white sex workers would use their power to show people that’s not acceptable instead of reinforcing this behavior.
Have you found connection and safety in BIPOC/trans specific sex working spaces?
Absolutely! Being with other BIPOC sex workers makes me so happy! There is so much racism in sex work I honestly don’t feel safe around most yt sex workers. Especially when a lot of them will take from the aesthetics of black and brown sex workers and benefit off of racist beauty standards at the same time. I feel so held with BIPOC sex workers.
Is there a book, blog, tv show, or movie that has had a major impact on your life?
The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been one of the most impactful pieces of media in my life! Frank n Furter inspires me every day. That diva is fully themself, and is a bad bitch in everything they do! To see transness presented in that light in such power was and is so important to me.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
I love to crochet, sew and make my own clothes!
My favourite work outfit is: Red and black snake print microkini, big pleasers.
I’m weirdly attracted to: Making money through bringing people’s fantasies to life.
My biggest pet peeve is: People wasting my time.
If you want to buy me a drink, you could order a: Tequila red bull.
I get a big thrill out of: Performing and producing huge productions, especially sideshow acts, gives me a huge thrill!
Want to meet Brooklyn Escort Vyper in person?
Head over to their profile! 👇👇👇
